L’Oreal seems dedicated to multiethnic beauty and appealing to the growing market of customers from all over the world, of all different ethnicities. While L’Oreal is busy trying to get rid of “ethnic” beauty aisles here in the states in order to accommodate the ever-growing multiethnic market without making them feel excluded, they’re also taking steps overseas to make sure they’re bringing products their international markets will recognize and can relate to.

WWD chronicles L’Oreal’s expansion and tremendous success in India. L’Oreal is growing at lightning-fast speeds in the country, two and a half times as fast as the Indian beauty market itself. They credit their success to paying attention to the already-established beauty practices and staples in the country and including them in new products, or figuring out ways to improve on them. Take for example, their Colossal Kajal eyeliner, which draws from India’s centuries-old tradition with Kajal (which some might know as Kohl) eyeliner. The product has been wildly popular since they introduced it in 2011. New products they are introducing products to the market include cream hair dye, hair conditioner and face wash for men and it’s been paying off. in 2014, L’Oreal’s sales in India were at the tune of $31 million.

It seems that L’Oréal’s strategy for dominating the beauty industry lies in actually listening to their customers instead of imposing foreign traditions on them. Between India and their newfound commitment stateside to the multiethnic customer, L’Oréal is making a statement that rejecting the status quo can have quite lucrative returns.

Jihan Forbes spends her days tirelessly writing and her work has been featured on Fashionista, XOJane, The Cut and more. She lives in Harlem, but will always be a Bronx girl. Send her an e-mail sometime.